1. Field Of The Invention
This invention relates to thermoelectrics devices for electrical and electronic circuits, and more particularly to an improved metallic thermoelectric device having a high capacitance and low physical volume. This invention also relates to the method of making the improved metallic thermoelectric device through a wire drawing process.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various types of thermoelectric devices have been known to the prior art. One particular form of thermoelectric device is a metallic thermoelectric device formed by a junction of two dissimilar metallic materials. It is well known in the art that many junctions formed with two dissimilar metallic materials will generate a voltage and a current when the junction is elevated in temperature relative to an ambient temperature. The extent of voltage produced by the junction is determined by the types of metallic materials used for forming the junction and the differential in temperature of the junction relative to an ambient temperature.
Typically, the metallic junction thermoelectric devices were used as temperature sensors. These devices, commonly called thermocouples, were placed in a region for determining the temperature of the region. The voltage output of the thermocouple was measured by a voltmeter having a high impedance input. In these applications, the thermocouple functioned as a voltage generator.
In other applications, junctions of dissimilar metallic materials have been used to generate both a voltage and a current to provide an electrical power generator. Typically, a plurality of metallic junctions were connected in electrical parallel to produce a current of sufficient magnitude to provide the electrical power generation. The plurality of metallic junctions were placed in proximity to heat sources such as a geothermal heat source, a solar heat source or a nuclear heat source for generating electrical power.
Over the years, the size of electronic components has decreased steadily and dramatically in the electrical and electronic art. Along with such dramatic decreases in the size of electrical components, the speed and complexity of electronic components has increased substantially in the electrical and electronic art. The decrease in size of electronic components has been primarily within the areas of semiconductors and resistant elements. However, such dramatic decreases in size have not effected the area of thermoelectric devices.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method of making a thermoelectric device having an extremely high power output for a physical size which was heretofore unknown by the prior art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method of making a thermoelectric device which is extremely reliable and capable of high temperature operation.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method of making a thermoelectric device which utilizes a plurality of coaxial thermoelectric devices connected in electrical parallel.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method of making a thermoelectric device by drawing coaxial conductors separated by a dielectric material in a wire drawing process.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method of making a thermoelectric device by drawing a multiplicity of individual coaxial thermoelectric devices in a wire drawing process.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.